Automobile prices keep getting higher and when you consider that your car is usually the second most valuable item you own you want the best possible advice on taking care of it. Some of the questions you may have include insurance, warranties, maintenance issues, and more.
There are many resources available to you to give you expert advice and guidance and it is best to have the information before you need it. If you don’t have a source readily available you may make a bad decision.
One of the best sources for information is your mechanic. Don’t think of seeing your mechanic with the same disdain as a visit to the dentist. A good mechanic can be a wealth of information about all sorts of car related issues and the knowledge is usually not limited to mechanical information. Since mechanics are car lovers they will usually have no problem talking to you about anything automobile related.
Your local automobile dealership can also be a good resource. You can talk to service advisors and mechanics there as well as salespeople. Salespeople love to talk and it helps them pass the time while they are waiting for a real customer. Another key point if that they may have information about your vehicle that you won’t find anywhere else.
Car clubs are another great place to network and get information and advice. You can find car clubs for almost anything, especially if you own a sports car, a classic, or an imported street racer. In my area there are also several clubs for Jeeps and 4-wheel drives. The members of these kinds of clubs are truly car nuts and are particularly knowledgeable about the vehicles the club identifies with.
If you are more of an introvert and really aren’t into the personal contact and meetings then you can always go online, the Internet has thousands of websites devoted to cars and anything associated with them and you can find answers to just about any question you may have. You can probably find an online forum or message board to post your questions to and receive answers back almost immediately.
There is no need to feel overwhelmed or confused about any car related issue. There are numerous individuals that are more than happy to give you free expert advice. If all else fails, you can find the answers to your questions online.
Many people get taken advantage of when they go to buy a new car, truck or SUV. This can be avoided by taking some simple precautions and being prepared ahead of time. Take a look at these suggestions and commit them to memory so that you don’t get taken to the cleaners on your next automotive purchase.
First off, do your research before visiting the dealer. You want to be armed with the cost of the vehicle you are interested in, the value of your vehicle if you are trading it, and financing terms and interest rates. Don’t let a glib salesperson overrule you with sales tactics. Never buy a car impulsively, think it over.
There is a tremendous amount of information online about vehicles, financing, and anything else you may care to know about the car buying process. There is absolutely no reason for anyone not to take the time to get the information they need to be able to have a positive car buying experience.
The best way by far to deal with financing your vehicle purchase is to get pre-approved by your personal bank or credit union. This will give you a position of power to negotiate from. When you go into the dealership you are now basically walking in with cash and the ability to do business immediately should you so desire. Another thing it gives you is the ability to play the lenders against each other to get a better rate. Many times the dealer may offer you a better rate by as much as two percent just because of the volume of business they do.
Remember this sentence is you remember nothing else, “The salesperson is not your friend”. They will try to make you think they are on your side, they are trained to do that. It is all part of the psychology. Don’t buy into it, they are paid a commission based on the profit of the vehicle in most cases, so the more you pay for the car, the more they make. Many times there are bonuses on particular vehicles as well. You may go to a dealership on a Saturday morning and see three salespeople trying to sell the exact same car. The reason, unknown to the potential buyer is probably because the sales manager has offered a $500 bonus for selling that particular car. If a salesman is trying to push you on a particular car, beware, there is a reason the car hasn’t sold and for the dealer to offer a bonus to get rid of it.
Hummer owners are unique individuals who enjoy the aspect of owning a vehicle that doesn’t look like everything else on the street. Driving a Hummer around is fun just from all the looks it gets you but there is another setting where you can find a great deal of enjoyment in Hummer ownership, it’s not at a car show, but instead is at your computer keyboard. The internet can open up a lot of awesome opportunities to maximize the enjoyment of your Hummer.
You can learn more about your vehicle and accessories that are available for it online and also chat with other owners on message boards, forums, and chat rooms. Without the internet you would have a hard time finding as much information about Hummers. Sure you can get a lot of information from a Club or even a dealer but you have a world of information at your fingertips with the internet.
If you are having a particular problem that you can’t figure out, like maybe some irritating noise you can post it on a forum and see if others have the same issue. You may end up getting a reply from someone in Australia or even South America! I love the way the internet helps make the world a smaller place.
You can find schematics and instruction manuals that are far better than any print manual or owner’s guide. You can even find out how many models were made in a given year. If you need a particular part you can find it by part number and order it all online.
With the infinite resources available to you online you can educate yourself and become an expert in everything there is to know about a Hummer. You can even study the history of how they were developed all the way from the conception to the actual production. You will be able to find information on the internet that before would have only been able to be viewed by the original designers of the vehicles. The information-sharing network that exists insures any Hummer driver can learn more about their vehicle than they may have believed possible.
Even if learning and research doesn’t get the blood pumping or excite you quite like an afternoon drive or give you the sense of satisfaction you get from a do-it-yourself repair job, it can help to considerably increase the quality of your Hummer ownership experience and make you the most knowledgeable Hummer owner around.
I bet you had to read that headline twice! I know, I couldn’t believe it myself. One of the biggest deterrents to buying an electric car for me has always been performance. Now we finally have someone with a vision for revolutionizing the industry that is doing what no one else has done to date, introduce an electric car that performs like a sports car.
The development of this cutting edge vehicle by Martin Eberhard is being bankrolled by high profile internet billionaires like the founders of Google and Paypal. This should tell you right away that this car is serious business.
The new batter powered car will be one of the quickest production cars available on the planet holding its own with the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis that cost five times what the new roadster will sell for. The name of the company is Tesla Motors, named for the Serbian inventor of the first AC powered motor.
The Tesla roadster gets its power from nearly 7,000 lithium-ion batteries, rechargeable of course. There is nothing special about the batteries either, they are the exact same batteries we use in our laptops. Besides going from 0 to sixty in under 4 seconds the vehicle has a top speed of over 130 mph and a range before recharging of 250 miles. The first model to be built will be a two seater roadster but they already have plans for a sedan as well. So what does it cost to run this car? You won’t believe it, less than two cents a mile! Say goodbye to high gas prices because this car uses ZERO gas.
Eberhard’s electrical engineering background is what has given him the knowledge used to build the first performance electric car. He says he got his inspiration to create the car from reading about other revolutionaries in the automotive industry, John DeLorean and Preston Tucker.
Instead of trying to invent a new battery source he decided to use the lithium-ion batteries because he was involved in the computer industry and he knows that the large computer companies will keep working to make lighter and longer lasting batteries that he can get from the computer industry and use for powering his cars.
Tesla Motors has gone from a concept to a car that will be built in less than three years. The first cars are being built in a factory in England and will be available by summer of 2007. The price of the first cars is expected to be around $80,000. Considering the price of gas, that may soon be considered a bargain.
One of the best things you will ever do is to take the time to properly maintain your car’s engine. You do not want to break down in a remote area on a cold, wintery night. Instead of tempting fate, why not learn how to keep your car well maintained and working properly.
Tip #1 – Check Your Oil Levels Regularly.
In an older model, check your oil levels every week. Engines run at extremely high temperatures and some models will burn through oil at an alarming rate. If you run ‘dry’ — that is, without oil — you could damage the engine. Once this has happened, you either need a new engine or a new car. Both of these issues are extremely costly. Can you afford to be without your car for a lengthy amount of time?
Tip #2 – Change the Oil and Check the Belts.
Change your oil every 3,000 miles. After driving for a certain amount of time, oil becomes dirty and sluggish. Keeping the oil changed regularly reduces dirt circulating in the engine.
The belts could also be a trouble area. With every oil change, you should have the fan belts and air hoses checked for wear and tear.
Tip #3 – Take Care of Your Cooling System.
Antifreeze should be changed every year. Have a professional flush out the cooling system and replace the tanks with new coolant. This can keep a radiator from developing leaks.
Tip #4 – Transmission Maintenance.
Transmission fluid should be checked regularly. The fluid should be changed every 36,000 miles. If the head gasket leaks, your coolant will leak into the oil system. Repair costs can drain your bank account if you find yourself in this situation, so check the transmission regularly to prevent future problems.
A common sense thing to do is to always stop first before shifting into drive.
Tip #5 – Know Your Colors.
Look regularly in your driveway for leaks. If you spot any, take a look at the color of the fluid and then take the car in for servicing. Transmission fluid is pinkish, antifreeze is green, oil is golden brown, and brake fluid is reddish. Knowing which fluid is leaking can help a garage determine the severity of your problem. They can fit you into a busy schedule if the leak is potentially hazardous.
Tip #6 – Run Your Heating and Cooling Systems.
To keep your air conditioning system working properly, run the system every month, even in the winter. The same is true with the heating system. It should be run in the summer to prevent any seizing.
Tip #7 – Braking Correctly.
When you have to stop, try to brake in advance. Sudden stops wear down brake pads quickly. Have your brakes checked regularly for wear and tear.
Tip #8 – Check the Tires.
Tires should be rotated every 7,000 miles. Inspect them visually every month for tire wear, punctures, and bulges. You should also make sure that the pressure is correct.
Tip #9 – Battery Maintenance.
Pay attention to your battery. If you see white deposits forming on the terminals, clean them with a wire brush and then clean the battery with a mixture of baking soda and water.
Tip #10 – Keeping the Body in Shape.
You can keep your car rust free by keeping it waxed once per season. Have the undercarriage washed at least twice a year.
Use WD40 to keep door hinges well lubricated. This keeps doors opening and closing properly.
Conclusion.
Follow your car manual’s recommended maintenance schedule. This guarantees the warranty will cover costly repairs, but also prevents unexpected breakdowns.
All it takes is a few simple checks every month, and you can protect yourself from breaking down in an unfamiliar or remote area. Your safety is that important isn’t it?
At first, hybrid cars did not hold much appeal because of their dismal performance. The industry is finally recognizing that people don’t want to sacrifice performance for gas mileage. The Japanese are leading the way in this new segment of the hybrid industry, working on cars that feature lithium batteries and electric motors. Incredible as it may seem, there is a report that there is at least one sports car under development that is capable of producing 470 horsepower!
Hydrogen fueled cars are also being developed as well. Mazda is putting a lot of research into this segment using its rotary engine. Mazda has been working on being able to produce a hydrogen burning car for years and hopefully they will be able to do it without giving up performance.
The hybrid that seems to have the most promise currently is from the Japanese automaker giant, Toyota. Their Priapus is a normal gas – electric hybrid that is capable of accelerating from zero to sixty in under 4 seconds which seems to be the equivalent of the 4 minute mile for performance cars. The car also still maintains decent fuel economy getting over thirty miles to the gallon. The 70k price tag will make it less than affordable for most and it will be tough to make up for it in gas savings. The new totally electric car coming out from the new Tesla Motors also holds promise.
The hybrid industry isn’t being dominated by just the Japanese; a couple of former designers from Jaguar are working on a V10 version of the hybrid that has even received grants from the government in England to help them bring the car to production.
Nations all over the world are instituting higher standards for fuel efficiency to try to force automakers into making cars with better fuel economy. With gas prices continuing to rise and the ever present instability in the Middle East you can expect to see more attention to be paid to hybrid research as well as other alternatives. On top of all of the savings we will begin to see some of the negative effects that gas burning cars have done to the economy.
With the recent trend to offer sports cars from the hybrid camps and the newly unveiled Tesla concept car being built by 2007 all fears that sports cars were headed the way of the designer are disappearing. We will see high performance sports cars that will offer the best performance imaginable along with great fuel economy or not using gas at all!
So you have decided to sell your car. There are some things that you should know to be sure that you don’t leave money on the table when you do sell it. To be sure that you receive the most money possible there are some steps you should take that go past just placing an ad in the local mullet wrapper. Here are some ideas to help you out.
As an internet marketer who makes his living online I have to go here first. The internet is the most complete source you will find for information on any subject and selling your car is definitely no exception to this. You will be able to find online car clubs for just about any type of vehicle and they will usually have forums and message boards you can participate in just by signing up. Don’t just register with their boards to sell your car though, these online communities consider such parasitical behavior as spamming.
You can also use the internet to see what vehicles like yours should sell for. One source that has all vehicle values listed with the valuations customized for your particular area is Kelly Blue Book. Another source that I like to use is the online auction giant, eBay. Their eBay Motors Division has the largest online auction source of cars, trucks, SUVs and more. You can see what vehicles in the same condition as yours are currently selling for.
Another great place that you can find locally is a car club for your particular vehicle. If you own a sports car, classic, Jeep, or some other specialty type vehicle you will probably be able to find a club for it in your area. People who belong to these clubs are not only enthusiasts who know everything about the vehicles but most of them also know people who might be looking for a car like yours, especially if it is in really pristine condition or is considered a rare version. Many of these clubs will have their own newsletters or even magazines that they will sell advertising space in. Placing an advertisement directed at such a targeted audience will get you the best results. Another place to run targeted advertising is in automotive publications such as the Auto Trader. People who read these are in the market to buy a vehicle.
Talk to local mechanics about your car. They are like the local gossip column when it comes to cars. They usually know of people that are looking for particular cars and can give you advice on where to find them. If not they can direct you to more local resources that may be able to help you sell your car.
Finally, before you sell your car invest a hundred bucks or so in having is professionally detailed. This is money well spent. A professional detailer will be able to make your vehicle look like new. Be sure to have the engine compartment steam cleaned as well when you have this done. This one step will drastically increase the amount of money you get for your car.
We have all heard horror stories from our friends and neighbors about certain mechanics that charge an arm and a leg for auto repair that, it turns out, was not even necessary.
Everyone knows that proper and regular maintenance is necessary to keep your automobile in good working order. Even though you may have worked on your own cars as a teenager or still consider yourself to be an amateur car repair specialist, it is always a good idea — especially for cars under warranty — to leave the work to a qualified mechanic who has been trained to do the job properly. This is especially important on higher end vehicle makes such as Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus where the maintenance records play a large part in determining the value of a vehicle when you decide to sell it or trade it.
Deciding on a mechanic to entrust with caring for your vehicle is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. Finding the perfect mechanic isn’t rocket science but on the other hand, there isn’t exactly a manual on how to find a good one either. Here are some things to keep in mind that will help you.
First off, ask the prospective mechanic for some references. Tell him what’s in it for him. If you own several vehicles let him know that you will bring all of them to him for regular maintenance and repairs. Tell him that you take the car of your vehicles seriously and that is why you want to be able to speak to some of his customers to see what they have to say. If he is a reputable mechanic he will have no problem with this because he will have a long list of happy and satisfied clients. Another thing you can do along these same lines is ask friends and relatives who they use to take care of their cars and trucks. If you ask enough people you are sure to find a name that comes up often.
The next thing you should be concerned with is his qualifications or certifications. A mechanic who is ASE certified is the industry standard and ensures that the mechanic is proficient in his craft. Don’t be afraid to ask the mechanic about this, a good mechanic will be proud of their achievements and will lost likely have them displayed where they can be seen. Don’t trust you automobile to a shade tree mechanic.
If you belong to a car club for your particular make of vehicle ask other owners who they use. Most likely you will find that the majority of them use the same person who specializes in your particular vehicle and may even offer a discount to members of your club.
Finding a quality mechanic is important to the life of your car. Don’t underestimate this and take the time to find a good one.
Insuring your vehicle can be one of the most costly parts of car ownership. If you have to maintain full coverage insurance the costs can be several thousand dollars a year especially if you are a young male with a couple of tickets on your record. If you have a newer car with a loan on it you will undoubtedly want the most coverage available so that it will be replaced if something happens to it. There are some things you can do to help lower your insurance bill and still maintain good coverage.
One of the things you can do to reduce your insurance rates is find out if membership to any particular organizations may lower your rate. Sometimes there are discounts for members of educational organizations or things like labor unions. Ask your agent if there are organizations you can join to get discounts.
Always shop several insurance companies so that you know they are giving you the best rate possible. I have seen quotes vary by as much as 30% which can save you hundreds if not thousands on your insurance. Use the internet to find several different companies and call them up!
Most companies offer multi car discounts if you insure more than one car with them, the savings can be huge with these discounts. You may also get lower car insurance if you allow them to write your homeowners, health and life insurance. Just placing all of your insurance policies under one roof can lower your bill significantly.
There are special discounts offered for taking driving courses so check those out as well. If you have student to insure there are many companies that offer discounts if they maintain a good grade point average. Other companies offer big discounts to safe drivers if you go for a long time with no accidents.
You should also check the deductibles for coverage. You may find that you have very low deductibles on collision for example that can be raised to lower your insurance premiums. I personally don’t think it is necessary to have deductibles as low as $100 on collision especially if you are a safe driver. Raise them to $500 or even $1,000 and it will save you quite a bit on your premium.
Remember that there are significant reductions for safety items like dual airbags and for antitheft devices, particularly if the system disables the ignition so the vehicle cannot be started.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a garage to keep their cars in and even if they do, the garage might be filled with so much junk that it’s impossible to park a car in there!
Things like tree sap, especially from pine trees, hail, and exposure to the sun can ruin your car’s paint quickly. If you want to protect your car’s finish from the elements, you may want to consider investing in a car cover. There there are some things you need to know before you do this.
A good quality car cover can go a long way in protecting your vehicle’s finish but the wrong cover can ruin it. You can find a good quality cover for your car for under a hundred dollars in most cases so price isn’t a big issue. If you can afford a car that you care about protecting, chances are, you can afford to cover it.
Car covers come in assorted sizes with some being generic to fit any average sized car and others made for trucks and SUVs. There are also covers designed for specific vehicles. If you own a very expensive car, you may want to consider one of the specialty designs.
When you are looking for a car cover, you will find that there are really two choices when it comes to types of covers. First you will see waterproof covers and then water repellant covers. Contrary to what you might normally think, you do not want the waterproof version. The problem with a waterproof cover is that it not only keeps water out, but if water gets under the cover it will be trapped there and can cause mildew and even rust. On the other hand, a water repellant cover is a little more permeable and will prevent moisture from forming under it. You will pay a little more for a water repellant cover but like anything else, it is because you get what you pay for. A water repellant cover is much better for your vehicle than a waterproof one.
You may even want to cover your car in the garage, especially if it is a car you don’t drive often like an old classic Corvette or Muscle Car. This will prevent accidental scratches, keep little kids hands off, and protect against other things that could happen to it while in storage.
The cost of a car cover is nothing when you consider the cost of repairing even a minor ding or scratch as well as what the damage doe to the value of the car. Consider the purchase of a car cover an investment in the protection of your car.
We all love the sheen on a showroom car. Obviously, the cars at the dealership were waxed by a professional, but you can achieve the same look at home without having to pay for an expensive car detailing.
The most important step is to go online and research the different car wax brands. Some brands are mediocre at best, while more expensive brands may not be worth the money. Consumer Reports magazine actually gave Black Magic and Turtle Wax the highest ratings of all the waxes out there. Stick to nonabrasive waxes for best results.
Next, wash your car thoroughly. It is often helpful to wash twice because dirt is hard to find on a wet car. Dry the car completely before waxing. Avoid washing and waxing your car on a hot, sunny day. If it is sunny, make sure you park your car in the shade.
Dampen a sponge and squirt a small amount of wax onto the damp sponge. Aim for an amount that is equal to a tablespoon or so. In a clockwise circular motion, rub the wax over every section of the car. Think of the original “The Karate Kid” movie with the “wax on, wax off” technique. Cover the entire car with the wax and then return to the section where you started.
By this point, the wax should be dry. Cloth diapers are excellent clothes for removing wax. If not, a terry cloth towel will work. In the opposite counterclockwise direction, use small circles to buff the wax off your car. Use a moderate amount of pressure so that you are getting all the wax. Switch clothes or towels periodically so that you are not putting wax back onto your car’s surface that causes those pesky streaks we all hate.
When you have finished, take another clean towel or clothe and go back over the entire car one more time. This ensures you do not leave any streaks or wax spots. After two hours, wax can damage a car’s paint job. Ensure that you are working quickly enough to get all the wax off. You must be thorough.
If you find a tough stain or mark that washing hasn’t removed, waxing often will do the job. Place a layer of wax on the spot and let it dry completely. Buff the wax off and repeat if necessary.
Wash your towels and clothes for future waxings. Use a good quality fabric softener to guarantee that the towel will not scratch your car in the future.
It is simple to have a professional quality wax job on your car. It just takes a little elbow grease and an hour’s time. You’ll love the end result!
People mistakenly think that the cars stolen most frequently are flashy sports cars and SUVs but actually the top three are rather innocent Honda and Toyota sedans! For a complete list of the top ten most stolen vehicles see the bottom of this article, now on to how to keep your vehicle from being stolen.
There are car theft rings all over the world who steal cars as a business. When we think of car thieves we may have in mind some kid taking a car and joyriding but auto theft is a huge business. These people will take orders for specific vehicles and then contact their local thieves to carry out the acquisition of the particular vehicles being sought. Here are some tips to make your vehicle less of a target for these would be thieves.
The first thing you can do is park your vehicle in guarded and secure parking areas. Car thieves don’t want to be seen so they aren’t going to steal a car that is on a lot monitored by cameras in most cases. You want to park your car in the most visible location you can find.
Another simple way to reduce the likelihood of theft is to always take your keys out of the ignition and bring them with you when you get out of your car. I know this may sound like just common sense but you would be astounded at the number of people who have their vehicle stolen while they are in the convenience store while leaving their car running. In many cases, especially when it is a kid looking for a joy ride, car theft is a crime of opportunity and leaving the keys in the car is just calling out to a thief to take your ride.
You can deter a thief from looking at your car as a target by doing things that would slow them down. For instance, you can parallel park your car tightly between other vehicles so that the thief would have a tough time getting the car out. They won’t even look at stealing your car because it would take too long. The longer it takes them to get the car away the higher their chance of being caught.
It is thought by many that car alarms are unimportant as well but this is not the case. Why do you think insurance companies give you a discount if you have an anti theft device installed on your vehicle? Because they know that it works to guard against theft. An alarm represents two negatives to a car thief. One, an alarm going off would draw unwanted attention to their nefarious activities and secondly it takes more time to disable it.
Wondering how wanted your car is to thieves? Have a look at the top ten list of most stolen cars from State Farm:
1. 1995 Honda Civic
2. 1989 Toyota Camry
3. 1991 Honda Accord
4. 1994 Dodge Caravan
5. 1994 Chevy C1500 Pickup
6. 1997 Ford F-150
7. 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup
8. 1990 Acura Integra
9. 1988 Toyota Pickup
10. 1991 Nissan Sentra
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